Community invited to submit entries for town's inaugural Scarecrow Fest

Staff Report

Published 8:00 pm, Sunday, September 18, 2011

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Community invited to submit entries for town's inaugural Scarecrow Fest

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WILTON -- This Halloween, Wilton businesses, organizations and families are being encouraged to put together the funniest, scariest and most creative scarecrows they can dream up for the town's inaugural Scarecrow Fest.

The Town of Wilton is working in partnership with the Wilton Chamber of Commerce to put together the contest, which will challenge participants to construct creative scarecrows to be displayed during the last two weeks of October in Wilton Center, according to Chamber officials. The scarecrows will be attached to 50 town lampposts beginning Oct. 21, and prizes will be awarded to category winners for the scariest, funniest, most creative, most traditional and best overall. The contest is open to Wilton businesses, organizations and families, and the Wilton community will be able to cast their votes in ballot boxes located in various Wilton Chamber member businesses.

The scarecrow project was originally proposed by First Selectman Bill Brennan as a means to attract retail shoppers and visitors to Wilton Center, according to Chamber officials. The Scarecrow Fest will run in tandem with the Pumpkin Parade Trick-or-Treat Walk on Saturday, Oct. 29, and the annual Halloween Hustle 5K and Scarecrow Scamper Kids' Run on Sunday, Oct. 30.

"Several months ago, we started working on the scarecrow idea to generate retail traffic for our local businesses," Brennan said. "The interest in this event has really mushroomed after a devastating storm and many personal hardships. This will be an uplifting and colorful event and an opportunity for everyone's creative talents to be displayed."

Scarecrow kits will be available at the Trackside Teen Center, 15 Station Road, on Oct. 7 and Oct. 8, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The kits, which will sell for $15, include wooden post frames and hay. Scarecrows may represent a business or group's identity or be decorated just for fun, according to Chamber officials.

Official rules and registration forms for the Scarecrow Fest can be downloaded from the Wilton Chamber's website, located at www.wiltonchamber.com, and will be limited to the first 50 entries postmarked by Oct. 1. Judging will be completed and winners announced at the Pumpkin Parade at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 29.

The Scarecrow Fest, Pumpkin Parade, and Halloween Hustle events are sponsored by the Wilton Chamber of Commerce. Chamber officials extend their appreciation ito HEH Associates for creating the promotional materials for these events.